WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.899 Welcome to Ontario Community Church, 00:00:02.899 --> 00:00:04.799 where we're dedicated to encouraging, 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:07.799 equipping, and engaging lives for Christ. 00:00:07.799 --> 00:00:10.000 Located in Ontario, Oregon, 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:11.720 Pastor Patrick Daly preaches 00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:13.800 insightful sermons from the Word of God, 00:00:13.800 --> 00:00:16.760 offering practical applications for modern living. 00:00:16.760 --> 00:00:19.559 We're delighted to share this sermon with you. 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:21.800 All right. Well, good morning, everyone. 00:00:21.800 --> 00:00:24.120 You guys can hear me loud and clear. 00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:27.280 Well, it's great to be with you this morning as we are 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:31.720 continuing our sermon series on the Book of Ezra. 00:00:31.720 --> 00:00:35.160 This last week, we concluded Chapter 3, 00:00:35.160 --> 00:00:37.120 where the people of God, 00:00:37.120 --> 00:00:41.960 they were celebrating the foundation of the temple being laid. 00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:45.400 As a reminder, the Holy Spirit in the Book of Ezra, 00:00:45.400 --> 00:00:49.560 it stirred the hearts of over 40,000 families, 00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:51.880 and the King, King Cyrus, 00:00:51.880 --> 00:00:55.480 a stirring that led people to return to Jerusalem, 00:00:55.479 --> 00:00:59.159 to rebuild the altar, and to rebuild the temple. 00:00:59.159 --> 00:01:02.279 It was the stirring of the Holy Spirit. 00:01:02.279 --> 00:01:04.280 As the foundation was laid, 00:01:04.280 --> 00:01:05.879 it was a time for celebration, 00:01:05.879 --> 00:01:10.280 for praising God and thanking Him for His faithfulness. 00:01:10.280 --> 00:01:13.879 And this reminds me of a spiritual parallel 00:01:13.879 --> 00:01:18.879 that we have with our foundation that we have in Jesus Christ. 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:24.079 Our foundation is laid when we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ 00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:26.079 through faith in Him. 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:30.280 When we believe in His death, His burial and resurrection, 00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:33.679 we are taken from the domain of darkness, 00:01:33.679 --> 00:01:38.280 and we are entering or transferred into the Kingdom of Light. 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:42.480 And just as the foundation of the temple was laid and celebrated, 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:46.079 we too, as Christians, as the body of Christ, 00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:50.079 we should celebrate when somebody becomes a believer in Christ, 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:52.680 when someone grows in Christ, 00:01:52.680 --> 00:01:55.480 and you're seeing the transformation that comes 00:01:55.480 --> 00:01:57.080 by the power of the gospel. 00:01:57.080 --> 00:01:59.280 Can I get an amen for that? 00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:03.680 And this brings us to today as we are entering into Ezra chapter 4, 00:02:03.680 --> 00:02:08.680 where we are entering the theme of dealing with adversity. 00:02:08.680 --> 00:02:14.080 This sermon today is based off of Ezra chapter 4, verses 1 through 5. 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:19.280 And in these five verses, we will see that the people in the land 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:21.879 were against the people of God, 00:02:21.879 --> 00:02:26.280 and they wanted to stop the progress that had been made. 00:02:26.280 --> 00:02:29.479 Perhaps maybe you have dealt with opposition. 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:34.079 Maybe you have been through a time where you've had people against the progress 00:02:34.079 --> 00:02:36.079 you've made in Christ. 00:02:36.079 --> 00:02:40.680 Today, we will see in Scripture how the leaders of the people of God, 00:02:40.680 --> 00:02:44.879 they stood firm, but they also stood together. 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:47.479 And this is a great lesson that we can learn today, 00:02:47.479 --> 00:02:52.479 and also a lesson that we can apply to our very lives today. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:55.079 And here's the thing, let us remember as we're reading this, 00:02:55.079 --> 00:03:00.280 because this chapter 4, you're going to see there is the adversity, right? 00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:04.280 The adversaries that are coming and opposing the building of the temple. 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:06.079 They're going to get dirty. 00:03:06.079 --> 00:03:08.280 They're going to play unfairly. 00:03:08.280 --> 00:03:11.879 And it's in chapters like this, we have to be reminded 00:03:11.879 --> 00:03:15.879 that you cannot stop what God has started. 00:03:15.879 --> 00:03:21.680 This is why we place our faith and our trust in our Father. 00:03:21.680 --> 00:03:25.079 We trust in the living God who never fails, 00:03:25.079 --> 00:03:27.879 the God of light, the God of truth, 00:03:27.879 --> 00:03:30.879 the God of healing and restoration, 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:36.079 the one who always delivers on His promises and His prophecies. 00:03:36.079 --> 00:03:41.280 That's why when we open the Word of God and we see the fulfillment of prophecy, 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:47.280 we see that God is consistent, He never changes, and how often do we change? 00:03:47.280 --> 00:03:49.280 Let us come to the Lord. 00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:52.280 And you know what? Let's pray before we go any further. 00:03:52.280 --> 00:03:55.280 Will you pray with me? Let's bow our heads and pray. 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:59.680 Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us this time and this opportunity 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:03.280 to come together as the body of Christ. 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:06.280 May we be united as one in You. 00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:09.280 We pray today that truth is spoken here. 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:14.280 And as we hear from Your Word, may we learn the lessons within Your Word 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:18.279 and apply them to our everyday lives. 00:04:18.279 --> 00:04:21.279 We ask that You send down Your Holy Spirit to be with us, 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:27.279 to stir our hearts, our minds, and our spirit to know You, to grow in You, 00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:30.279 and to be moved to do good in Your holy name. 00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:35.279 It is in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God that we pray. 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:37.279 Can I get an amen? 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:44.279 So we begin on the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin. 00:04:44.279 --> 00:04:47.279 In Ezra chapter 4 verses 1 through 2, we are introduced. 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:53.279 It says here, when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:56.279 were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel, 00:04:56.279 --> 00:05:00.279 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the Father's houses, who said to them, 00:05:00.279 --> 00:05:04.279 let us build with you, for we worship Your God as You do. 00:05:04.279 --> 00:05:08.279 And we've been sacrificing to Him ever since the days of Escheridon, 00:05:08.279 --> 00:05:11.279 the king of Assyria, who brought us here, right? 00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:17.279 So we're seeing these adversaries, they were well aware of what was going on. 00:05:17.279 --> 00:05:21.279 The word adversary, when you see that in the text here, 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:25.279 it speaks of people who were directly opposed. 00:05:25.279 --> 00:05:27.279 They were against God. 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:29.279 They were against the people of God. 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:31.279 These are enemies. 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:33.279 These are troublemakers, as it were. 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:38.279 Those who would bring forth division and opposition. 00:05:38.279 --> 00:05:41.279 The adversaries approached the leaders of the Father's houses. 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:44.279 And when you're reading this, it looks like they're saying, 00:05:44.279 --> 00:05:47.279 hey, we want to come alongside you and help build with you. 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:51.279 And on the surface, it looks like they legitimately want to help. 00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:55.279 And from the way they're saying it, it's like, well, OK, that looks good, 00:05:55.279 --> 00:06:00.279 but we have to be reminded of that first verse, that they are adversaries. 00:06:00.279 --> 00:06:05.279 We see in verse 3, if you go in there, Zerubbabel, Jeshua, 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:08.279 and the rest of the heads of the Father's houses in Israel, 00:06:08.279 --> 00:06:11.279 they said to them, you can join us, right? 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:13.279 Is that what it says in here? 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:17.279 No, it says, you have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God. 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:22.279 But we alone will build to the Lord the God of Israel as King Cyrus, 00:06:22.279 --> 00:06:25.279 the king of Persia, has commanded to us. 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:30.279 You notice in here that there is a difference of who they are referring to. 00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:32.279 They're building in the name of the Lord, 00:06:32.279 --> 00:06:35.279 and they're talking about the decree of Cyrus, 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:39.279 as opposed to the days of Escharidon, the king of Assyria. 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:42.279 So there's a difference in who they're referring to. 00:06:42.279 --> 00:06:47.279 So these leaders, Zerubbabel and Jeshua, they had enough insight, 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:53.279 what we would call discernment, to recognize the intentions of these adversaries, 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:56.279 knowing that they were not pure, that they were against God. 00:06:56.279 --> 00:07:01.279 The discernment displayed by these leaders is critical, it is crucial. 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:06.279 They understood that the mission they were on, it was divinely inspired. 00:07:06.279 --> 00:07:11.279 And any external influence that didn't align with the plan that God had set 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:14.279 could derail the entire project. 00:07:14.279 --> 00:07:21.279 And this teaches us, we should observe here, the importance of discerning our own walk with the Lord. 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:25.279 Being mindful of people that we come and interact with, 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:30.279 we need to ensure that our decisions and that who we associate with 00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:33.279 will align with the will of God. 00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:37.279 And it says, and we have to think that the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin, 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:42.279 despite their offer to help, despite what appeared to be their good intentions, 00:07:42.279 --> 00:07:48.279 it was identified by the people, the leaders of God, to have impure motives, 00:07:48.279 --> 00:07:53.279 and to be obedient to the rejection, no, we're not going to work with you. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:58.279 I'm reminded of 2 Corinthians 6-14-16, which says, 00:07:58.279 --> 00:08:02.279 don't be unequally yoked with unbelievers. 00:08:02.279 --> 00:08:06.279 What partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? 00:08:06.279 --> 00:08:11.279 We then go to the second observation, the importance of spiritual discernment, 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:14.279 which is found in Ezra 4-3. 00:08:14.279 --> 00:08:19.279 You see Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the leaders, right? Again, they are responding. 00:08:19.279 --> 00:08:22.279 They're saying, we want nothing to do with you. 00:08:22.279 --> 00:08:27.279 It is so important as leaders, even back then in the Old Testament, 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:33.279 to have insight from the Lord on who to associate with and who not to associate with. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:39.279 And we're talking in context here of people who are working with the building, 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:41.279 the rebuilding of the temple. 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:46.279 And when we consider the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit can reveal to you 00:08:46.279 --> 00:08:48.279 whether someone is good or bad. 00:08:48.279 --> 00:08:53.279 Sometimes you may get a really strange feeling, or sometimes you may get a really good feeling. 00:08:53.279 --> 00:08:56.279 And that's something by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 00:08:56.279 --> 00:09:02.279 The leaders did not want to work with these adversaries because it could lead to distraction. 00:09:02.279 --> 00:09:07.279 You ever heard the word being infiltrated, right? Infiltration. 00:09:07.279 --> 00:09:10.279 Imagine if they had said, you know what, come on in. 00:09:10.279 --> 00:09:14.279 I realize, you know, you're against what we're doing, but let's come on in. 00:09:14.279 --> 00:09:21.279 Think of the infiltration or the division or the divisiveness that could happen in such a project as that. 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:27.279 And so what we're seeing here is it could lead to distraction, distortion, derailment, 00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:32.279 or a change in the direction of the trajectory of what they're doing. 00:09:32.279 --> 00:09:38.279 And this situation is directly parallel to our study in Colossians, right? 00:09:38.279 --> 00:09:45.279 The Apostle Paul, he emphasized the importance of remaining true to the Word of God. 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:50.279 And in the same way, the leaders in Ezra, they wanted to focus on the mission. 00:09:50.279 --> 00:09:57.279 It's the idea of you stick to the plan that God has given to you, right? 00:09:57.279 --> 00:10:02.279 We focus on the direction, the divine guidance from the Holy Spirit, right? 00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:04.279 That's what the people of God are doing. 00:10:04.279 --> 00:10:10.279 So the leaders, they exercised spiritual discernment to protect the mission given by God, 00:10:10.279 --> 00:10:14.279 rejecting those who intentions did not align with his purpose. 00:10:14.279 --> 00:10:20.279 I'm reminded of 1 John chapter 4 verse 1, which says, 00:10:20.279 --> 00:10:26.279 Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:29.279 for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:33.279 And it's so important, again, when we're seeing in the Old Testament, 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:40.279 we also see it in the New Testament, the importance of spiritual discernment. 00:10:40.279 --> 00:10:46.279 And so that leads us to our Ezra chapter 4 verses 4 through 5, 00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:51.279 the adversary's attempt to discourage and to divide. 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:54.279 I'm going to read it here, the people of the land, 00:10:54.279 --> 00:10:59.279 discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:01.279 What else did they do? 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:07.279 It says that they bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose. 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:13.279 All the days of Cyrus, king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius, the king of Persia. 00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:18.279 So that's a long time for a time of discouragement and frustration, right? 00:11:18.279 --> 00:11:25.279 We are reading here that the people of the land, they are discouraging the people of God, right? 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:27.279 Making them afraid to build. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:30.279 So just think about this. 00:11:30.279 --> 00:11:34.279 Despite the fact that the leaders of the people of God said, 00:11:34.279 --> 00:11:39.279 no, we don't want you to work with us, they still were able to do damage. 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:41.279 They still were able to frustrate. 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:49.279 And you'll see later on in the chapter, they're going to up their game in opposition. 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:55.279 But it's a great reminder for us that even though we're seeing this terrible thing that these people are doing, 00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:59.279 that will not change the will of God, amen? 00:11:59.279 --> 00:12:03.279 And so we have to think here, look, they bribed counselors against them, right? 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:11.279 And this frustration, this discouragement was going on from Cyrus to Darius, the king of Persian, right? 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:16.279 The people of God, the leaders of the people of God, they stood firm and they worked together 00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:20.279 in continuing the work of God that God had set before them. 00:12:20.279 --> 00:12:27.279 Because the leaders stood firm, the adversaries, they took their opposition again to the next level. 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:34.279 They sought to divide the people, to instill fear and to even use their political influence to stop the building of the temple. 00:12:34.279 --> 00:12:36.279 We'll find that later on in chapter 4. 00:12:36.279 --> 00:12:42.279 If you go on to verse 7 through 16, you don't have to go there, but keep that in mind. 00:12:42.279 --> 00:12:48.279 They end up writing a letter to the king and saying that the people of God are rebellious. 00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:52.279 I mean, talk about escalating something, right? 00:12:52.279 --> 00:13:00.279 But that's because the people of God were standing firm in their faith and they were standing together here. 00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:07.279 These verses are challenging because they reveal a testing phase, as it were, where the people of God, 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:16.279 they were tested to see if they would let adversaries in, see if they would let people infiltrate the work that was happening. 00:13:16.279 --> 00:13:21.279 But the leaders, they passed the test by rejecting the adversaries and they stood firm. 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:27.279 And as a result, though, we'll see that the opposition will intensify. 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:40.279 And so the adversaries, they employed various tactics, fear, division, political influence to hinder the work of God testing the faithfulness of the people. 00:13:40.279 --> 00:13:42.279 Does that happen to us? 00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:45.279 Have there been times where this is... I mean, that's happened to none of us, right? 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:48.279 I'm sure there have been times where it's happened to us, right? 00:13:48.279 --> 00:13:56.279 Where we have had testing, where people have tried to instill fear and division in our own lives, dividing the body of Christ, 00:13:56.279 --> 00:13:58.279 or even using political influence. 00:13:58.279 --> 00:14:01.279 Man, that gets really heavy for us. 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:06.279 In Nehemiah chapter 4 verses 8 through 9, it's the next book, right? 00:14:06.279 --> 00:14:13.279 It says they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and cause confusion in it. 00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:20.279 It's that next part. We prayed to our God and set a guard as protection against them day and night. 00:14:20.279 --> 00:14:25.279 So there's even in the next book, opposition still continues. 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:28.279 And it can be very discouraging for us when we're reading that. 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:31.279 Why are these people opposing the people of God? 00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:33.279 Well, we see it throughout Scripture. 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:35.279 We see it throughout history. 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:39.279 And quite honestly, it happens in our own lives. 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:49.279 And so in all of this, there are lessons that we can learn in terms of the verses here in Ezra chapter 4 verses 1 through 5. 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:55.279 The first one is the importance of spiritual discernment. 00:14:55.279 --> 00:15:06.279 Spiritual discernment, it helps us to recognize and kind of have an evaluation of people and their intention, their heart, right? 00:15:06.279 --> 00:15:12.279 Sometimes we have to reject people that may seem good on the surface, but they have... 00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:15.279 It's just like, you know, as a kid, I always... 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:20.279 It was very difficult for me when I heard the phrase, a wolf in sheep's clothing. 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:22.279 I would take that a little literally. 00:15:22.279 --> 00:15:29.279 I would imagine a wolf that was dressed literally in sheep's clothing and walking around and hanging out with the sheep. 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:31.279 But you could tell he was a wolf, right? 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:42.279 And that's just a kind of a kiddish way of looking at it, but that's an idea of discernment, knowing the difference between good and evil in the eyes of God. 00:15:42.279 --> 00:15:51.279 The leaders of the people of God, they rejected the adversary's offer to help build the temple because they discerned that the offer was not genuine. 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:54.279 There was something sinister going on here. 00:15:54.279 --> 00:16:01.279 This discernment was guidance by the Holy Spirit who can reveal the true intentions of those around us. 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:11.279 And as Christians, when we read and study and we learn the Word of God and we grow as a Christian, our ability to discern will grow over time. 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:18.279 Just like when I mentioned 1 John 4 verse 1, it tells us, right, to test the spirits. 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:29.279 We must be aware of, when we think of us as Christians today, false teachers and false prophets, as Jesus warned in Matthew chapter 7 verse 15. 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:34.279 Right? We need to practice and discern good from evil right from wrong. 00:16:34.279 --> 00:16:44.279 Isn't it interesting that when we're thinking about, in the Garden of Eden, right, you have the tree of knowledge of good and evil and then the tree of life. 00:16:44.279 --> 00:16:59.279 When we're thinking of the knowledge of good and evil, it's the reliance on self rather than the reliance on God because you see, God will still, he will give you the direction on what is right and wrong. 00:16:59.279 --> 00:17:04.279 As opposed to what happened in the Garden, I will try to figure it out. 00:17:04.279 --> 00:17:09.279 Right? I'm going to eat of this apple and I'm going to decide what's right and wrong compared to, you know what? 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:20.279 I'm going to seek God and his wisdom and his insight to guide my life and to help me know the difference between right and wrong. 00:17:20.279 --> 00:17:22.279 That's the difference here. 00:17:22.279 --> 00:17:38.279 In Philippians chapter 1 verses 9 through 10, it encourages us to let our love abound more and more as we, right, we grow in knowledge and discernment because my friends, we are always a work in progress growing in the faith. 00:17:38.279 --> 00:17:40.279 Or at least we should be on a path. 00:17:40.279 --> 00:17:46.279 Discernment comes from studying God's Word and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 00:17:46.279 --> 00:18:00.279 We can make decisions by this guidance, by the Word of God of what aligns with the will of God and to avoid any pitfalls or any distractions that could derail our spiritual journey. 00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:05.279 And the second lesson that comes up is standing firm in the face of opposition. 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:06.279 Right? 00:18:06.279 --> 00:18:16.279 We have to stand firm in our faith when facing any sort of opposition, right, remaining true to the mission that God has set before us. 00:18:16.279 --> 00:18:21.279 The leaders of the people of God, they stood firm and they stood firm together. 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:24.279 That is so important, right? 00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:26.279 You stand rooted in Christ. 00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:29.279 You stand rooted in the Word of God. 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:33.279 And this faithfulness is an example for us as Christians. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:49.279 Even when we face difficult days, even when we may have a friend or a family member, a coworker or a classmate who opposes us, we stand firm in the truth of the Word of God. 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:53.279 Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:58.279 And the Apostle Paul reminds us that we are ambassadors for Christ. 00:18:58.279 --> 00:19:05.279 I've always loved that phrasing to be an ambassador, a representative of Christ when you go out into the public. 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:10.279 We must keep the Great Commission and the Great Commandment central in our lives, right? 00:19:10.279 --> 00:19:15.279 Loving God and loving people and making disciples and also baptizing believers. 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:17.279 Let's not forget that. 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:24.279 We're to take up the armor of God so that we can withstand any evil that goes against us. 00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:34.279 It may be discouraging, it may be frustrating, much like the people of God were when the adversaries were trying to infiltrate the mission that was happening. 00:19:34.279 --> 00:19:46.279 But we stand firm, we put on the armor of God and knowing that God is always going to be there with us in times of good, in times of testing and in times of trial. 00:19:46.279 --> 00:19:59.279 We also see in James chapter one, verse 12 that there's a blessing, a blessing that comes for those who remain true, who withstand those trials. 00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:04.279 The verse mentions the crown of life of those who love God. 00:20:04.279 --> 00:20:08.279 That's beautiful imagery that we can think of. 00:20:08.279 --> 00:20:14.279 The third lesson is recognizing the reality of spiritual warfare. 00:20:14.279 --> 00:20:18.279 Spiritual warfare, my friends, is a reality. 00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:29.279 And we as Christians, we must be equipped to face it through prayer, through reading the Word of God and being united in Christ is also important. 00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:33.279 These adversaries, they used various tactics. 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:35.279 They used fear. 00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:37.279 They used discouragement. 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:39.279 They used slander even. 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:44.279 They used all of these things to try to get people to stop. 00:20:44.279 --> 00:20:49.279 In fact, you'll see in your notes here, there's a little diagram here. 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:54.279 The adversaries' tactic, discouragement. 00:20:54.279 --> 00:20:58.279 Sure, many of us have been discouraged by people before if you haven't. 00:20:58.279 --> 00:21:01.279 Man, you're pretty lucky. 00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:05.279 The fear to build. 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:08.279 How many of us have been afraid? 00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:12.279 The Scriptures tell us that we're not to be afraid of the gospel. 00:21:12.279 --> 00:21:15.279 But yet sometimes we do get afraid. 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:18.279 The bribery of counselors. 00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:20.279 That's a tough one, right? 00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:24.279 And then slander, libel, which is found later in Ezra. 00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:28.279 And we see in here, because I know that this is heavy. 00:21:28.279 --> 00:21:31.279 It's almost discouraging when you're reading this. 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:38.279 There is encouragement in this, is that God encourages us when we face difficult days. 00:21:38.279 --> 00:21:45.279 And that God is with us and there is nothing to fear, even though we can get afraid at times. 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:48.279 And then when we're thinking of those who are doing wrong, 00:21:48.279 --> 00:21:52.279 the bribery of counselors, the slander, the libel, right? 00:21:52.279 --> 00:21:58.279 All these things that these people will reap what they sow. 00:21:58.279 --> 00:22:01.279 That's something for us to be mindful of. 00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:07.279 We must be prepared to face these challenges by remaining faithful to God in His Word. 00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:12.279 We talk about the armor of God and the importance of putting it on, right? 00:22:12.279 --> 00:22:17.279 That we engage in spiritual warfare through prayer, through reading Scripture and supporting one another. 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:22.279 And also realizing that God's with us where we are. 00:22:22.279 --> 00:22:28.279 And in those seasons of trials and tribulations and even triumphs, right? 00:22:28.279 --> 00:22:30.279 Even when good things are happening. 00:22:30.279 --> 00:22:34.279 And we are to fight the good fight. 00:22:34.279 --> 00:22:39.279 We have to think, let's go to, in all of this. 00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:42.279 You might ask yourself the question, alright? 00:22:42.279 --> 00:22:48.279 So I see that there are these adversaries who are coming against the people of God 00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:51.279 and the people of God reject these people for bad intent. 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:58.279 And then these adversaries, they're taking it a step further by instilling fear and discouragement. 00:22:58.279 --> 00:23:01.279 So what do I do with that? 00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:07.279 How can I apply these verses, these very difficult verses to my own life? 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:13.279 And the first thing that comes up is growing in discernment. 00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:17.279 We grow in discernment by studying God's Word, 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:21.279 by seeking wisdom from God and praying for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:25.279 Can I get an amen? That's pretty simple, right? 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:28.279 Open the Word of God, start reading it and understanding it. 00:23:28.279 --> 00:23:36.279 And if you lack wisdom, like what the Scripture says, you ask God for that wisdom. 00:23:36.279 --> 00:23:39.279 Say, God, I don't understand what this means. 00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:41.279 How many of us have been stumped by a Bible verse before? 00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:43.279 Don't raise your hand, you don't have to. 00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:47.279 Right? But we've been stumped by Bible verses before. 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:51.279 Sometimes it's very appropriate for us to ask God, 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:54.279 I need the wisdom and insight to understand this. 00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:57.279 Or, God, I'm going through a very difficult trial in my life. 00:23:57.279 --> 00:24:01.279 I need your help. I need wisdom to know how to deal with this. 00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:04.279 I know you are there with me in this trial. 00:24:04.279 --> 00:24:09.279 And even though, look, sometimes we do feel alone and isolated. 00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:13.279 That's a great time for us to lean into God and to trust in God, 00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:15.279 knowing that he's there with you. 00:24:15.279 --> 00:24:19.279 It's important for us to read and study the Word of God 00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:22.279 and to learn how to test the spirits, right? 00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:27.279 Or to become more discerning when we are equipped with the Word of God. 00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:32.279 I mean, isn't it amazing the Bible being as popular as it is even today? 00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:36.279 Is it the number one selling book of all time here? 00:24:36.279 --> 00:24:40.279 For good reason. It being divinely inspired? 00:24:40.279 --> 00:24:44.279 I mean, I'd kind of laugh if we had like a science book that was the number one or something, 00:24:44.279 --> 00:24:52.279 but there's something to say about the Word of God being the number one book in all of history. 00:24:52.279 --> 00:24:57.279 That goes to testify to the power of who our God is. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:00.279 Pray for wisdom, right? Pray for that discernment. 00:25:00.279 --> 00:25:02.279 Learn discernment, right and wrong. 00:25:02.279 --> 00:25:08.279 And Scripture talks about practicing it. That man practicing knowing right and wrong. 00:25:08.279 --> 00:25:10.279 That's another one to think about. 00:25:10.279 --> 00:25:12.279 But we have to think about it not only in our daily lives, 00:25:12.279 --> 00:25:15.279 but our daily interactions with those in the community. 00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:18.279 Sometimes God will tell you, hey, you got to speak to this person. 00:25:18.279 --> 00:25:20.279 And you don't know why. 00:25:20.279 --> 00:25:23.279 Or sometimes you shouldn't go and talk to this person. 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:27.279 It's like, what? But that's part of the guidance that happens. 00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:31.279 And again, I always love James chapter one, verse five. 00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:34.279 If you lack wisdom, ask God for it, right? 00:25:34.279 --> 00:25:38.279 We all need wisdom, right? So we should be asking God for it. 00:25:38.279 --> 00:25:47.279 Proverbs chapter two, verses four through five, it emphasizes that we are to seek wisdom as if it were silver, right? 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:56.279 Precious gems, right? You know how some people, they use technology to try to find gold and rubies and diamonds and natural resources? 00:25:56.279 --> 00:26:06.279 All of those efforts goes to show an idea, a concept of how we are to search for wisdom because of its value. 00:26:06.279 --> 00:26:10.279 It leads to the knowledge of God and helps us grow in our faith. 00:26:10.279 --> 00:26:20.279 First Thessalonians chapter five, verse 21 through 22, it tells us to test everything and to hold fast to what is good and abstain from every evil. 00:26:20.279 --> 00:26:30.279 By growing in discernment, we can better navigate the complexities of life, making decisions that align with God's will, right? 00:26:30.279 --> 00:26:35.279 It requires us reading the Word of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:42.279 The second thing that we can take away is supporting one another in faith. 00:26:42.279 --> 00:26:52.279 When we stand firm in the Word of God, we shouldn't do it alone. That we have the body of Christ, our brothers and sisters in Christ who are there to help us, right? 00:26:52.279 --> 00:27:00.279 Supporting each other in faith, it strengthens the body of Christ like a bundle of sticks, and I'll put that image next pretty soon here, right? 00:27:00.279 --> 00:27:05.279 It helps us to stand firm together against opposition, right? 00:27:05.279 --> 00:27:12.279 It's essential for us to stand firm in faith when people are opposing us or people are against us. 00:27:12.279 --> 00:27:20.279 And just as we are called to stand firm, we're also called to support one another because we are stronger when we are together. 00:27:20.279 --> 00:27:32.279 Ecclesiastes, a book often overlooked in chapter four, verses nine through twelve, it says that two are better than one because they have good reward for their toil. 00:27:32.279 --> 00:27:39.279 When one falls, the other can lift him up, but woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up. 00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:44.279 And I want to put this image on here. It's this image of the bundle of sticks here. 00:27:44.279 --> 00:27:49.279 And I want to think of this as kind of an imagery of what we can think about. 00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:55.279 So you see on one side, you have one stick, right? 00:27:55.279 --> 00:28:02.279 Now, most of us, if not all of us, we can break a stick, right? It's pretty easy to break. 00:28:02.279 --> 00:28:08.279 You break it in half, you break it over your leg, whatever. It's broken, right? 00:28:08.279 --> 00:28:15.279 But the more sticks that you have together, it is a representation of the body of Christ. 00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:21.279 That when we are together, we are stronger together, united in Christ. 00:28:21.279 --> 00:28:27.279 Now, the more sticks you put together, eventually there comes a point. Try this with a kid sometime. 00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:31.279 It's really great activity. Not that I've done that with my own kid before, right? 00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:37.279 But you think about it. One stick is easy to break and you keep going, and then next thing you know, you have ten sticks, 00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:41.279 and you end up hurting yourself in the process trying to break the sticks. 00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:48.279 And it's just a wonderful imagery when we're thinking that two or three is greater than one, 00:28:48.279 --> 00:28:52.279 the verse says, when Scripture says, we're two or three are gathered in my name. 00:28:52.279 --> 00:28:55.279 There I am in the midst of them. That's what Christ is saying. 00:28:55.279 --> 00:29:05.279 And it shows how powerful it is when the assembly, when the church comes together, united. 00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:12.279 That we can face adversity together and we can help one another when we fall down 00:29:12.279 --> 00:29:21.279 or in the event we sin or in the event that something tragic happens in our life, we can support one another. 00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:31.279 In Hebrews chapter 10, verse 24 through 25, it encourages us to consider how to stir up one another, to love one another. 00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:39.279 Let us remember, like these bundles of sticks, we're all going to come from different backgrounds as it were. 00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:47.279 But we all should be together in a journey in Christ, having Christ work in and through us individually, 00:29:47.279 --> 00:29:53.279 but also working in and through us as a collective body. 00:29:53.279 --> 00:30:00.279 By supporting one another, we build a strong, united body of Christ that can withstand the challenges of life 00:30:00.279 --> 00:30:03.279 and remain faithful to God's mission. 00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:09.279 For some of us, when we have gone through a hard time and we've had a brother or sister in Christ pray with us, 00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:14.279 just show up and be there with us. There's power in that. 00:30:14.279 --> 00:30:20.279 And that's something that is very different than what the world has to offer. 00:30:20.279 --> 00:30:25.279 We go into the third one is trusting in God's sovereignty. 00:30:25.279 --> 00:30:31.279 Trusting in God's sovereignty, it says here that it gives us peace and confidence. 00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:38.279 Knowing that He is in control and His plans for us are good and very often in Scripture, 00:30:38.279 --> 00:30:43.279 we may not see how God is working behind the scenes. 00:30:43.279 --> 00:30:48.279 I'm reminded of Habakkuk. That's one of my favorite books in Scripture, where you have the prophet saying, 00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:52.279 God, all these terrible things are happening. What is going on? 00:30:52.279 --> 00:31:00.279 And God replies by saying, I think it's Habakkuk, chapter 1, verse 5, where God ends up saying, 00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:05.279 I'm doing some things that you wouldn't even believe if I told you to. 00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:10.279 If I told you what was going on, you would be completely shocked by it. 00:31:10.279 --> 00:31:13.279 And then he goes on and explaining what he's doing. 00:31:13.279 --> 00:31:17.279 And it's showing, wow, God works behind the scenes. 00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:21.279 And very often we may not understand what God is doing, right? 00:31:21.279 --> 00:31:26.279 And so it's a call for us to trust in God and His plan for us. 00:31:26.279 --> 00:31:31.279 No matter what is happening in our lives, again, the good, the bad, or the ugly, 00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:37.279 things may be happening with our friends or our families, even the country or in the world. 00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:42.279 We as Christians are called to trust in the living God with all of our hearts. 00:31:42.279 --> 00:31:48.279 Scripture repeatedly tells us not to be afraid and not to be filled with worry or anxiety, 00:31:48.279 --> 00:31:51.279 but rather to recognize that God is with us. 00:31:51.279 --> 00:31:53.279 And He will not abandon us. 00:31:53.279 --> 00:31:59.279 And He will comfort us. He will help us. And He will be there even in the darkest of times. 00:31:59.279 --> 00:32:01.279 Can I get an amen for that one? 00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:08.279 Romans 8, chapter 8, verse 28, reminds us that God works all things together 00:32:08.279 --> 00:32:13.279 for the good of those who love them and are called according to His purpose. 00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:19.279 Jeremiah 41-10 encourages not to fear, for God is with us. 00:32:19.279 --> 00:32:25.279 He will strengthen us. He will help us. And He will uphold us with His righteous hand. 00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:28.279 I always love that imagery. 00:32:28.279 --> 00:32:32.279 Some of you may know the song. He's got the whole world in His hands, right? 00:32:32.279 --> 00:32:37.279 And there's lots of songs that talk about this imagery of how God is the caretaker for us, 00:32:37.279 --> 00:32:40.279 that He will care for us in the palm of His hands. 00:32:40.279 --> 00:32:44.279 And I know that's kind of a children's story, Sunday school thing, 00:32:44.279 --> 00:32:47.279 but it's still a great reminder, right? 00:32:47.279 --> 00:32:53.279 Maybe you've ever, maybe you've picked up a little ladybug or a lizard, right? 00:32:53.279 --> 00:32:56.279 Or a small little creature, a bird or something. 00:32:56.279 --> 00:33:00.279 And you've held it in your hand, protecting it, wanting to nurture it. 00:33:00.279 --> 00:33:05.279 What an amazing imagery that we can think of that it's not exactly the same, 00:33:05.279 --> 00:33:11.279 but it's a good imagery nonetheless of how our God will take care of us when we're hurting, 00:33:11.279 --> 00:33:13.279 when we need that healing for our lives. 00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:18.279 And by trusting in God's sovereignty, we can have peace and confidence in Him, 00:33:18.279 --> 00:33:21.279 knowing that He is in control. 00:33:21.279 --> 00:33:26.279 We can face any challenge with the assurance that God is with us, 00:33:26.279 --> 00:33:29.279 and He will be with us. 00:33:29.279 --> 00:33:32.279 He'll always be there with us. 00:33:32.279 --> 00:33:36.279 And so in all of this, I want this to be an encouragement for you, 00:33:36.279 --> 00:33:40.279 even though these are some very discouraging verses, right? 00:33:40.279 --> 00:33:47.279 Perhaps you may have gone through a time where you might have had someone enter your life with ill intent. 00:33:47.279 --> 00:33:51.279 In times like that, seek God and His wisdom, 00:33:51.279 --> 00:33:56.279 and don't be afraid to reach out to your brothers and sisters in Christ, right? 00:33:56.279 --> 00:33:58.279 Don't be afraid to have a conversation. 00:33:58.279 --> 00:34:04.279 Don't be afraid of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the love that God has for us. 00:34:04.279 --> 00:34:09.279 Let us stand firm in the truth of the Word of God and the promises of Jesus Christ, 00:34:09.280 --> 00:34:15.280 and let us stand firm and let us stand together in the grace and the truth 00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:18.280 that is brought to us by Jesus Christ. 00:34:18.280 --> 00:34:24.280 Let us focus on the mission that God has set for us in our own lives, 00:34:24.280 --> 00:34:27.280 but also in our church. 00:34:27.280 --> 00:34:29.280 Many of us have faced opposition. 00:34:29.280 --> 00:34:33.280 Many of us have faced an adversary before in our lives. 00:34:33.280 --> 00:34:38.280 It's in moments like this where we encounter these difficulties 00:34:38.280 --> 00:34:45.280 that we have to trust in God, pray to Him, and seek our brothers and sisters as well. 00:34:45.280 --> 00:34:48.280 Seek support from our brothers and sisters. 00:34:48.280 --> 00:34:52.280 And I pray that as we're getting closer to our close here, 00:34:52.280 --> 00:34:56.280 let us be a church that is not infiltrated by evil. 00:34:56.280 --> 00:35:01.280 Let us be a church that is not divided or is not weakened, 00:35:01.280 --> 00:35:05.280 but rather is a church that is united in Christ, 00:35:05.280 --> 00:35:10.280 a church that will send out people to go out into the community 00:35:10.280 --> 00:35:14.280 and make a difference being an ambassador for Christ, 00:35:14.280 --> 00:35:17.280 doing good in the name of Jesus Christ, 00:35:17.280 --> 00:35:23.280 a church that stands firm and keeps Jesus Christ as the main thing. 00:35:23.280 --> 00:35:28.280 This story in Ezra reminds me of things that have happened, 00:35:28.280 --> 00:35:33.280 times where people have opposed the church, 00:35:33.280 --> 00:35:37.280 our own individuals, even a few years ago. 00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:41.280 Let this message not discourage you, 00:35:41.280 --> 00:35:45.280 but rather let it encourage you to trust in the living God. 00:35:45.280 --> 00:35:51.280 Let us remember the simple gospel that tells us to trust and to believe in the death, 00:35:51.280 --> 00:35:54.280 the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:35:54.280 --> 00:35:59.280 That all of this, 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verses 1 through 4, 00:35:59.280 --> 00:36:03.280 all of this was done in accordance to the Scriptures, 00:36:03.280 --> 00:36:07.280 proving that God speaks the truth, 00:36:07.280 --> 00:36:11.280 and he fulfills his promises and his prophecies. 00:36:11.280 --> 00:36:17.280 Our main thing is to believe in Jesus Christ as the firm foundation for our lives. 00:36:17.280 --> 00:36:21.280 We build our lives upon that foundation, 00:36:21.280 --> 00:36:27.280 and we learn, we grow, we go from immaturity, from babies as it were, 00:36:27.280 --> 00:36:33.280 to growing into mature adults, learning to discern, to test the spirits, 00:36:33.280 --> 00:36:38.280 so that we can know through the Lord the difference between good and evil. 00:36:38.280 --> 00:36:42.280 We support one another, no matter where we are in our spiritual journey. 00:36:42.280 --> 00:36:46.280 Some of us may be new believers, some of us may be mature believers, 00:36:46.280 --> 00:36:52.280 but we all should be on a journey together going towards Christ, 00:36:52.280 --> 00:36:54.280 going towards the kingdom of God. 00:36:54.280 --> 00:36:58.280 This is much like how I mentioned earlier in Ezra. 00:36:58.280 --> 00:37:05.280 The 40,000 families, they were traveling home to the place that God had called them to be. 00:37:05.280 --> 00:37:08.280 And what a powerful image we can think of, 00:37:08.280 --> 00:37:12.280 that as a church body we should be on such a journey as it were, 00:37:12.280 --> 00:37:16.280 going towards the Lord and the promises that he has for us. 00:37:16.280 --> 00:37:21.280 For God will continue to work in and through our lives for all of our life. 00:37:21.280 --> 00:37:23.280 We are our work in progress. 00:37:23.280 --> 00:37:26.280 If you don't think you are, you are. 00:37:26.280 --> 00:37:29.280 It doesn't matter what you've been through or what you're going through, 00:37:29.280 --> 00:37:32.280 what matters is that you believe in Jesus Christ, 00:37:32.280 --> 00:37:34.280 you are trusting in the Lord, 00:37:34.280 --> 00:37:37.280 and you are following what the Word of God has to say. 00:37:37.280 --> 00:37:44.280 And part of that growth is continuing to trust no matter what is happening in your life. 00:37:44.280 --> 00:37:47.280 No matter what opposition you may face, 00:37:47.280 --> 00:37:51.280 or no matter what the government may pass. 00:37:51.280 --> 00:37:57.280 Right? We trust in the living God and we remain faithful to him. 00:37:57.280 --> 00:38:02.280 For living in God, living for God, there is nothing to fear. 00:38:02.280 --> 00:38:05.280 There's nothing for us to worry about. 00:38:05.280 --> 00:38:10.280 We continue to move forward in our new life in Christ until the very end, 00:38:10.280 --> 00:38:14.280 where we will be part of the kingdom of God with Jesus Christ. 00:38:14.280 --> 00:38:17.280 Let's pray together. 00:38:17.280 --> 00:38:23.280 And gracious Father, we thank you for giving us this time once again to open your Word 00:38:23.280 --> 00:38:31.280 and to read, to study, to observe, to learn, and to apply these living and active words to our lives. 00:38:31.280 --> 00:38:36.280 I pray, Father, that we will understand the importance of discernment 00:38:36.280 --> 00:38:41.280 and that it comes from the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the truth of your Word. 00:38:41.280 --> 00:38:46.280 I pray that we as a church, we will stand firm, but we will also stand together. 00:38:46.280 --> 00:38:54.280 I pray that we will be united in you, that we will remain focused on the mission that you have given to us. 00:38:54.280 --> 00:38:59.280 I pray, Father, that we will trust in you, knowing that no matter what happens, 00:38:59.280 --> 00:39:07.280 you will always be there with us in the highs and lows and in the hills and the valleys of this life. 00:39:07.280 --> 00:39:13.280 As we close with this final song, may we lift up a shout of praise. 00:39:13.280 --> 00:39:18.280 May we honor and glorify you and be thankful for who you are. 00:39:18.280 --> 00:39:24.280 May we know that you are the constant in our life, everlasting to everlasting, 00:39:24.280 --> 00:39:28.280 and that nothing can stop what you are doing. 00:39:28.280 --> 00:39:33.280 It is in the name of Jesus Christ, our saving King, that we pray together. Amen. 00:39:33.280 --> 00:39:37.280 Thank you for tuning in to the Ontario Community Church sermon podcast. 00:39:37.280 --> 00:39:42.280 For more about our church and how you can get involved or support our mission, 00:39:42.280 --> 00:39:46.280 please visit ontariocommunitychurch.org. 00:39:46.280 --> 00:40:15.280 May God's blessings be with you.